Legend of the Rose Witch
by Ember A. Keelty
Summary: Yet another take on an old, old story. This one rhymes.


A/N: I did this a while back, when, after reading _The Canterbury Tales_, I wanted to see whether I could write an entire story in verse. I figure I might as well post it here.

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Long beyond the mem'ries of you or I

There was a shining castle in the sky

Where lived a maiden and her dear brother

With neither a father nor a mother

The boy was fair, his sister dark

She sang as sweetly as a lark

While she tended to the castle garden

Of which she was the devoted warden

She tilled the soil, she planted seeds

She watered them and pulled the weeds

The local songbirds all would flock

To perch on her lily-white frock

And pull at the ribbons, as was their sport

With them she had a deep rapport

She spoke their tongues; and well she knew

The virtues of the herbs she grew

And how best to invoke them in a brew

She was a proper Witch, and true

Her brother was of great renown

An oft-sung hero in the town

Though no one knew what was his birth

He was a Prince for all his worth

And much beloved by all the girls

For his strong arms and long pale curls

And for rescuing damsels in distress

His motto: "Ev'ry girl is a Princess!"

And if sometimes a maid he saved

Was less than perfectly behaved

And returned home a maid no more

Her family certainly bore

No resentment to her savior

She alone fell out of favor

By his great deeds he earned such fame

That the whole world soon learned his name

The people came from far and wide

"Save our daughters!" the masses cried

The poor Prince, he was over-taxed

He fled to his sister and asked

No, begged for her to lend him aid

"Of course I will," his sister said

"A magic sword I'll forge for you

Enchanted to always strike true

And be unbreakable, yet light as air

After that, new garments will I prepare

Bring me old rags and I will shape

A white silk suit and matching cape

And imbue protections in ev'ry stitch

For I am a gifted and clever Witch

I'll make a proper Prince of you

If you'll make me your Princess too"

At those last words the boy's heart fell

"That I cannot, as you know well

As my sister you can never

Be my Princess; a Witch forever

Is your role; take heart, for it suits you well

But please, dear sister, cast your spell"

The Witch at this was quite downcast

But she cheered up, it did not last

She forced a smile and bowed her head

And went to do the things she'd said

Her brother with new clothes and arms

Set off through cities, towns, and farms

And did more than he ever had

To rescue girls and make them glad

For all who asked he bravely fought

Alas, the more he did the more they sought

His sister's magic worked its best

But in the end he needed rest

Back to the castle in the air

He soon returned, and collapsed there

His sister, seeing this, took fright

"Dear brother, you're a sorry sight!  
But worry not, I have the cure

An enchanted sleep, deep and pure

Once you're healed up, I'll waken you"  
Gladly the Prince drank down her brew

And fell into much needed sleep

And now the Witch began to weep

"Oh dearest brother, how I've missed

You and envied the girls you've kissed

Oh, don't you love me, brother dear?  
Those other girls, I start to fear

Will someday soon be your demise

I dread reopening your eyes!"

Meanwhile below it wasn't long

Ere there gathered a vicious throng

Beneath the castle to demand

The Prince lend them his valiant hand

In rescuing their daughters from

All kinds of plights; he did not come

So they prepared to storm the gait

The Witch came down and shouted, "Wait!

You've worked my brother half to death

He cannot hear you, save your breath

This castle is protected by

Years of my magic; should you try

To breach the door or scale the wall

I guarantee you all will fall"

"What about our daughters?" the reply came

The Witch said, "Them I do not blame

And I will help them if I can

Just give me time to form a plan"

The crowd roared so it made her wince

"A girl can never be a Prince!

Leave us be and fetch your brother

Make him come; we'll have no other"

"I won't," said she. "He's grown too weak"

"What is this slander that you speak?"

Shouted back the furious throng

"The Prince we know is brave and strong!"

Then cried a voice both loud and shrill:

"She's holding him against his will!

What other explanation could

There be? Our Prince is just and good

He never would desert us all

Unless she had him in her thrall!"

The crowd at this broke into parts

And sep'rately they voiced their hearts

"'Tis true!" said one; "I'll be sworn," another

And, "To think: she did this to her brother!"

"Traitor!" "Devil!" "That whore!" "That bitch!"

Then as one they screamed, "Kill the Witch!"

She tried to flee but soon was caught

Though she was stronger than they thought

They stabbed her, burned her, hanged her high

Try as they might, she would not die

Though through it all she screamed in pain

And writhed and cried and fought in vain

As one last attempt on her life

They cut her heart out with a knife

She bled so hard her dress turned red

And so the mob left her for dead

The castle, then, they sought to take

But this was their final mistake

She'd warned them but they had not heard

And were attacked by countless kinds of bird

Set upon by starlings, shrikes, and crows

Wrens, thrushes, jays; and soon there rose

The cacophony of their cries

As men fell, blinded, from the skies

To this day the Prince still sleeps like stone

Sprawled silent on his marble throne

The garden the Witch used to tend

Has gone to seed; the thorns now rend

The castle's stones and choke its halls

And cordon off its outer walls

As for the Witch, she's living yet

(She takes what comfort she can get)

She's heartless now, and full of hate

And seeks to free her brother from his fate

For which she needs a noble heart

To work her long-forgotten art

But does there still exist a heart that's true?  
For only will the purest do

The rest, discarded; oh, beware!

Should you meet a girl with long flowing hair

As twisted and dark as the hearts of men

And a gown as red as the blood within


End file.
